Lifespan of Pipe Smokers

[Browny]

Started on cigarettes in 1993 (about 50/50 tailor made and rollies), on and off cigars (small to med mostly) from 1998, and pipes came into it about 2012.

Couldn't kick the smokes so all smoking stopped 2014, stuff happened and fast forward to 2021 and I picked up the pipes again, and now back to about 3-4 a week and a small cigar with a coffee to kick-start most work days.
*Last 4.5 weeks I've been stuck at home with a broken foot so it's been no cigars and perhaps 10 pipes a week.

Mid 40's and no I'll effects from smoking.
Blood pressure has actually dropped since picking up the pipe again, waiting for the doc to get curious before I tell him my secret.

Dietary choices are another matter.
The excess of red meat, alcohol and junk food from my late teens, 20's and early 30's might be catching up (phone consult with a camera crew tomorrow to book a day/time for a checkup).

*Adding*
My Pop smoked a pipe and he told me "3 sometimes 4 a day every day since I was 16" he died at 93 if memory serves, my father says "heart attack and the doctor said it was from all the fried breakfasts catching up with him"

 

[SBC]

I do currently have Hodgkin's Lymphoma, but from my survey of the peer reviewed material it appears that statistical significance with respect to HL does not emerge before 15 cigarettes a day. A cigarette contains approximately .5 g. of tobacco, and a pipe contains approximately 3 g. of tobacco, so (theoretically) 2 pipes per day should still fall under that line.

For this reason, I would like to think that my pipe smoking was not a factor in my cancer -- my norm has been about one bowl per evening.

I'm 37 and I've been pipe smoking for about 15 years. During that time, there have been brief periods during which I'd have as many as three pipes a day, as well as some periods during which I didn't smoke at all (even for a few months), but over the last few years I've averaged one bowl per evening.

Still, complicating this is a statistically significant correlation to Eptstein-Barr virus. Which is to say, the correlation between tobacco use and Hodgkin's Lymphoma is greater for those who've had mononucleosis than for those who haven't. I had a very bad case of it years ago (bad enough to cause an acute variety of hepatitis), so the question does cross my mind.

I'm currently wrapping up 6 months of chemotherapy, and my cancer has all but disappeared. There is still a very small mass which is not active, and is predicted to disappear eventually.

My plan for the time being is to limit myself to about 3 pipes a week. If my cancer does not recur, I'll probably stick with that.
If my cancer does recur, perhaps it will be time to give up smoking completely.

 

[jttnk]

Thanks for sharing. Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery.

 

[kola]

I've been a pipesmoker since age 14. I'm 65 and still playing ice hockey in a mens league (which is mostly 20-45 yr olds) My overall health is pretty good with exception to some kidney stones and a gallbaldder removal. I consider myself a mild pipesmoker with 1-2 bowls a day and maybe an occasional cigar.

 

[mso489]

I'd make a case for moderation to lower risk of health effects of pipe smoking. Also, I think any ritual that causes you to slow down, relax by sitting down or walking, and to think about non-work or task related subjects is probably healthy in a signifiant way.

Most of us live hyperactive propulsive lives as if we are in a steeplechase. Anything that moderates that pattern is usually beneficial.

 

[OverMountain]

I have always believed that cigarettes are not very helpful to ones health but their detrimental effects are magnified with the amount of sh*t they put in the things. I have noticed that those who rolled their own seem to have a slightly better outcome in terms of longevity assuming they are using pure additive free tobacco. I have smoked a pipe since I was 15 or 16 and apart from my destroyed teeth from pipe notches, touch wood I seem to be motoring on as well as can be expected for an old fart of my age.

Do you use clay pipes?

 

[condorlover1]

@OverMountain: No stopped smoking clay pipes made by John Pollock in the mid 1980s and switched to 19th century meerschaum 'cutty' pipes. My dentist at the time inquired how I found the 1850s due to the pipe notches in my mouth! As far as I know there is one clay pipe devotee on the forum from the U.K but I have not smoked a clay in absolutely years!

 

[The Clay King]

@OverMountain: No stopped smoking clay pipes made by John Pollock in the mid 1980s and switched to 19th century meerschaum 'cutty' pipes. My dentist at the time inquired how I found the 1850s due to the pipe notches in my mouth! As far as I know there is one clay pipe devotee on the forum from the U.K but I have not smoked a clay in absolutely years!

@condorlover1 Got a few Pollock clays myself; I'll smoke one in your honour!

 

[EvertonFC]

I have read most of the studies(or lack thereof) but would like to get a real world sample of pipe smokers. How many years have you smoked? How old are you? Do you have any health issues you believe stem from piping?

I'm 42 years old, have been piping only a couple of years... no issues yet?

I don't want to be a buzzkill, but all the people who have died from pipe smoking likely don't post that frequently any more. And I would expect the same is true of most people who have suffered significant health issues as a result of pipe smoking. What you're going to get here is a bunch of anecdotal evidence, from those who have suffered no ill effects. To that end, you should look to actuarial tables, which mostly show pipe smokers have no real life expectancy differences from non-smokers.

 

[Hillcrest]

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I don't want to be a buzzkill, but all the people who have died from pipe smoking likely don't post that frequently any more. And I would expect the same is true of most people who have suffered significant health issues as a result of pipe smoking. What you're going to get here is a bunch of anecdotal evidence, from those who have suffered no ill effects. To that end, you should look to actuarial tables, which mostly show pipe smokers have no real life expectancy differences from non-smokers.

I suspect that most people lie to their doctors anyways about whether they smoke or not.

 

[Singularis]

Don't know how fatal piping is as I've never done it but I've used most tobacco products regularly on a daily basis including pipe smoking for 32 years and haven't had any adverse affects yet at 49 years old.

View attachment 219673

WHUUTT? No snuff?

 

[EvertonFC]

I suspect that most people lie to their doctors anyways about whether they smoke or not.

I suspect you're right, but at the same time I find that crazy. Lying about your health to the person responsible for looking after your health, seems absurd. That said, this world is hardly short on absurd people.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I suspect you're right, but at the same time I find that crazy. Lying about your health to the person responsible for looking after your health, seems absurd. That said, this world is hardly short on absurd people.

Oh, I meant lying about being dead... JK

I think the reason many people lie to their doctor is because of their insurance premiums going up if they are a tobacco user.

 

[anotherbob]

Agree to disagree, or not disagree, depends on the section. lol

Well despite what the internet thinks that probably is the best option, since discussing it will do little to prove either of us right.

I def agree with the Florida statement, being born here and after various moves around the country ending up back here, whoever said you can never go home again was incorrect.

Oh there are wacky crazy psycho what rock did they crawl out from under people well mixed through out geography and social stratums.

 

[AJL67]

Well despite what the internet thinks that probably is the best option, since discussing it will do little to prove either of us right.

Oh there are wacky crazy psycho what rock did they crawl out from under people well mixed through out geography and social stratums.

Might as well be proud of the uniqueness of each one

 

[Hillcrest]

Oh, I meant lying about being dead... JK

I think the reason many people lie to their doctor is because of their insurance premiums going up if they are a tobacco user.

 

[Chasing Embers]

WHUUTT? No snuff?

It's gotten too hard to come by and can often be messy.

 

[woodsroad]

I have read most of the studies(or lack thereof) but would like to get a real world sample of pipe smokers. How many years have you smoked? How old are you? Do you have any health issues you believe stem from piping?

I'm 42 years old, have been piping only a couple of years... no issues yet?

Anecdotal, self-reported information on a pipe forum is only going to confirm your bias. It's worthless data.
Ask the dead people what happened.

 

[OverMountain]

@OverMountain: No stopped smoking clay pipes made by John Pollock in the mid 1980s and switched to 19th century meerschaum 'cutty' pipes. My dentist at the time inquired how I found the 1850s due to the pipe notches in my mouth! As far as I know there is one clay pipe devotee on the forum from the U.K but I have not smoked a clay in absolutely years!

I have only heard anthropologists talk about a pipe notch with old clay pipes. I don’t think an acrylic mouthpiece would do that right?